Self-Sealing Butterfly Valve With Elastic Ring Lips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing center-line butterfly valves require high rigidity for the valve body and shaft, leading to increased material and manufacturing costs, and suffer from high opening and closing torques and wear, making them unsuitable for frequent pipeline operations.
Innovation Solution
A self-sealing butterfly valve design with an elastic sealing layer and ring lips that protrude outwardly, forming inclined surfaces to enhance sealing and reduce rigidity demands, combined with a split stop ring structure for improved connection and reduced wear, allowing for lower material usage and reduced torque requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rigidity of the valve body and valve shaft is increased to prevent deformation and leakage, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sealing mechanism from rigid contact to elastic deformation by using an elastic sealing layer that can deform under fluid pressure to maintain sealing, allowing the valve body and shaft to have lower rigidity while maintaining reliable sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic sealing layer acts as an intermediary between the valve plate and the fluid passage wall, transferring the sealing function from the rigid structural components to a dedicated elastic element that can compensate for dimensional variations
2Reliability
If larger pressure is applied on the elastic sealing layer to ensure sealing, then the sealing effect is improved, but the opening and closing torque increases and wear is aggravated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inclined inner ring faces on the ring lips that convert axial fluid pressure into radial sealing force through geometric conversion, reducing the direct pressure needed on the elastic sealing layer while maintaining effective sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The upper inflated portion with greater area creates an upward buoyant force that counteracts the downward weight of the valve plate, reducing the net force and torque required for opening and closing operations
3Strength
If the valve plate self-weight is increased to improve structural strength, then the strength is improved, but the wear of the elastic sealing layer is exacerbated and opening and closing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure difference between the upper and lower inflated portions creates a buoyant force that counteracts the valve plate weight, reducing the contact pressure on the elastic sealing layer during operation and extending its service life
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with inflated portions that provide both structural strength and buoyant force, allowing the valve plate to have adequate strength while reducing operational wear through the counterbalancing effect
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves effective sealing with reduced material usage and manufacturing costs, lower opening and closing torques, and extended service life, making it suitable for frequent pipeline operations.
Implementation Method 1
The elastic sealing layer covered on an outer periphery of the valve plate is extruded and elastically deformed by the valve plate and an inner wall of the fluid passage, to achieve sealing upon being closed
Implementation Method 2
the ring lips are gradually thicker from outside to inside, so that inner ring faces of the ring lips are inclined faces
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A self-sealing center-line butterfly valve includes a valve body (1), wherein a fluid passage (2) is provided in the valve body (1), a valve plate (4) of which an outer surface is covered with an elastic sealing layer (3) is provided within the fluid passage (2), an upper portion of the valve plate (4) is dynamically connected with a driving shaft (5) which is rotatably connected to the valve body (1), a lower portion of the valve plate (4) is rotatably connected with a supporting shaft (6) which is connected to the valve body (1), the elastic sealing layer (3) at outer edges of two end faces of the valve plate (4) axially protrudes outwardly, forming two ring lips (7) attached to an inner wall of the fluid passage, and the ring lips (7) are gradually thicker from outside to inside, so that inner ring faces of the ring lips (7) are inclined faces. The center-line butterfly valve of this structure has a great sealing effect, is flexible for opening and closing, and has a long service life.